My Nonprofit Reviews

It all began with wrapping paper sales. Such is the life with kids and schools and activities. Support this. Buy that. And we did. But by the time the third child brought home the same wrapping paper catalogue, we were ready to just write a check. Forget ordering, just get us out!

I'm not sure what changed or when. One day I'm grumbling about driving these kids from here to there- you know, from the activities that I signed them up for! Then suddenly I discover I'm driving kids who have true passions. Kids who are willing to give up sleep, and school dances, and hanging out with friends. For our youngest, that passion was ballet.

Brandywine Ballet was my daughter's home away from home. Day after day in classes and weekend after weekend of rehearsals. We got our first glimpse of what had 'called' to her when we saw BBC's 2005 production of The Nutcracker. It was BIG. This wasn't just cute kids on a stage at recital. This was real ballet. And it was magical.

We watched our daughter become an incredible dancer because of the training of the artistic staff and the experience of being on stage in those memorable productions. And over the years we supported Brandywine Ballet through the auxiliary and its pie sales, raffle baskets and sales tables. Kind of like the days of wrapping paper all over again! And we bought tickets. So many tickets. These performances deserved to be shared with family, friends and colleagues.

This time I CAN tell you what changed. Our daughter went off to college as a ballet major. We knew then the training she received was everything we thought it was. And my husband became a member of the board. He now knew the cost of those productions and the budget constraints the ballet worked with annually. We wanted to give.

Fast forward. Our daughter returned from college and was back dancing at Brandywine Ballet. Her ballet family had welcomed her back 'home'. Nine months later my husband died suddenly, with the spring production weeks away. Once again, the ballet family was there, surrounding Emma with love and strength and support. And together, we her family and friends, watched the curtain go up on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. We were all taken somewhere over the rainbow where the dreams she had dreamed came true as she danced on stage surrounded by those who have shaped her into the dancer and young woman that she is.

Gloria Gaither said 'Memories, perhaps, are the best gift of all'. It is the memories of my husband and I, our children, family, and friends watching so many magical performances over the years that inspired me to give with an endowment pledge for Brandywine Ballet. And perhaps, my gift will help ensure magical memories to the next generation of dancers and audiences alike.